I am getting a little thin on top.
Well, to be honest, there is nothing for a comb to do up there.
Consequently, I have become quite casual about having my remaining
hair cut. My reasoning has been that since there is not much that
can be done with it, why spend any more on it than the minimum needed
to look halfway civilized. But part of the fun of a cruise is being
pampered, and since my hair was looking rather messy, I decided to
have it cut while I was on Norwegian Breakaway.

The Mandara Spa on the Breakaway offers an array of services for men. These include a variety of shaves and facials as well as hair cuts. Breakaway's spa has a separate, dedicated barber shop. However, if the chairs in that section are occupied, the overflow is accommodated in the salon area, which is across the spa lobby from the barber shop. While the former area has a traditional masculine look, the latter has the advantage of having windows looking out over the sea. The first morning of the cruise, I climbed up to Deck 15 and entered the spa area. As I walked along the corridor that leads to the reception desk, I could see through the windows into the fitness center that there quite a few guests working out. Once at the reception desk, I asked the price of a haircut and when the quote was within the range I had expected, I asked for an appointment. The woman at the desk studied her computer and suggested 2:15 that afternoon. Since that would give me enough time to have lunch beforehand, I agreed. When I returned at the appointed time, I could see that all of the chairs in the barber shop were full. In addition, to people having their hair cut, one guest had towels on his face and a barber was giving it a massage. It didn't look like anyone was leaving soon.

The receptionist said to take a seat in the lobby. There was a seminar about what to do with puffy eyes going on in the lobby but I was able to find a seat on the opposite side of the room.

Not long thereafter, a hair stylist came by calling my name. She then guided me into the salon area and sat me in a chair where I had a good view of the pale blue sky and deep blue sea dotted with the occasional white cap.

My session began with a brief consultation. The stylist asked how I wanted my hair cut. In response to my admittedly vague instruction that I wanted it “cleaned-up a bit,” she offered a number of suggestions on how my hair could be shaped. These sounded good so I agreed to her plan. It is refreshing to meet someone who gives some creative thought to their work.

Next, she lowered the chair so that I was in a reclining position. She positioned a basin under my head and filled it with warm water. Then she began to wash my hair. As her fingers massaged my scalp, working the shampoo into my hair, I noticed for the first time that there was soft Asian-inspired music playing in the background. It was very relaxing.

When I was sitting up again, she dried my hair with a towel and began cutting my hair. This was not a shearing but rather a very precise cutting of individual hairs. As I watched in the mirror, I could see my hair taking on shape.

The final result was not only much neater than the way I looked when I came in but also gave me a different look. It was much more polished and confident. Even with relatively little hair to work with, she had been able to change my appearance. I liked the result.